Past News Releases

This month, the Council for Economic Education (CEE) will convene political, financial and educational leaders at the Democratic National Convention and Republican National Convention to address financial literacy in our nation’s schools, asking “Is Your State Part of the Problem—or the Solution?” Speakers and panelists will showcase what is currently being done to improve students’ financial literacy while addressing the challenges that remain, and what delegates can do in their own states to move the needle. Host committee members include Senator Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), Senator Thad Cochran (R-MS), Dr. Annamaria Lusardi (Academic Director, Global Financial Literacy Excellence Center), David Nelms (Chairman and CEO, Discover), and Richard G. Ketchum (Chairman and CEO, FINRA).

As shown in CEE’s 2016 Survey of the States, just 17 states currently require high school students to take a course in personal finance—despite data from a recent FINRA study showing that when they do, they have higher average credit scores and lower debt delinquency rates as young adults. Panelists will address the issue of how to effectively bring financial literacy into classrooms in all 50 states, taking a close look at the models that are working, identifying potential obstacles and determining how to overcome them.

“Building financial capability for America’s students is about giving them skill to build a bright future for themselves – that is certainly something we can all agree on,” said Nan J. Morrison, CEO and President, CEE. “The conventions offer us the opportunity to speak directly to engaged citizens and offer them actionable items they can bring back to their home states.”

The Council for Economic Education is the leading non-profit organization in the United States that focuses on the economic and financial education of students from kindergarten through high school - and we have been doing so for 67 years. We carry out our mission by educating the educators: providing the curriculum tools, the pedagogical support, and the community of peers that instruct, inspire, and guide. All resources and programs are developed by educators, and delivered by our national network of affiliates. Our goal is to reach and teach every child. Each year CEE’s programs reach more than 55,000 K-12 teachers and over 5 million students across the United States. EconEdLink – our free, online educator gateway for economic and personal finance lessons and resources – attracts more than 1.1 million unique visitors each year.